Gazing
by Won't-wear-a-Halo
Summary: While he sleeps she can finally just stare at him.


**Gazing**

* * *

The sun shined a little too bright as she opened her eyes. Her mind was still groggy and she needed a moment catch her bearings. She slammed her eyes shut again, her hand hovering to keep the light away. Somehow she had neglected to properly close the blinds the night before.  
Smiling when she thought of the reason behind her neglect, her face softened and she slowly opened her eyes, allowing them time to adjust.

When the light was no longer blinding her, she moved her head to take in the room around her. It wasn't hers but she knew it, like the back of her hand. The simple furniture impersonal, the room only getting its warmth from the occupants pictures. But warmth they did add, each and every piece providing insight in the mind of the creator. A complicated mind, she knew, but so beautiful. There were mostly landscapes, city skylines and the odd animal, often cats or little woodland creatures. There were also a few pictures of herself in there. Pictures where he captured the looks she could give him so perfectly. Looks of love, patience, hope. All the things he made her feel. He knew better than to immortalise the annoyance she also felt at times. His never ending squabbles with Sam often leaving her exasperated.

She turned her head to check on the figure laying next to her. He was still sleeping peacefully and she could not help but smile. It had been a while since that had been an option for him and she vowed that she would not wake him up today. Instead she would be perfectly happy to watch him rest. Enjoying the sight of his relaxed features. No worry to cause a frown while he slept. No threat to cause tension in his shoulders. He seemed comfortable, at ease.

He shifted in his sleep and the light caught his arm, blinding her all over again and she repressed a hiss. As if sensing her discomforted at the invading light, his metal arm moved to lay beneath his pillow, while his face was now pointed in her direction, his hair cascading around his head. Taking a deep breath she began to study his face, now that he would not object to it. He was gorgeous. His strong jaw, the dimple in the middle of it. His straight nose, now fully relaxed, though if he knew she was watching him, it would have been scrunched up.

She fought the urge to reach out and touch the small scar on his temple. It was new and she realised that it would most likely be gone in a matter of days. The serum at work. Any scar on his body was from before it had been injected. She knew them all by heart. The little dip just beneath his right shoulder, caused by some vaccine he received as a child. The long line underneath his foot, from when he stepped on glass as a teenager, in an attempt to keep Steve from getting pummelled. A jagged line just underneath his hair in the nape of his neck, a result of the war. That's where they had hit him to render him unconscious. There weren't too many, since most of his fighting had been done after the serum, but she knew all the stories involved in the ones he did have.

Whenever he had a bad day, she would make him tell her all the stories again. And one particular day, when anxiety had taken over his motor functions, effectively rendering his speechless, she had repeated the stories for him. All night, until he was breathing easier again. She had put his head on her lap, her fingers either playing with his hair or gently stroking his sweat covered face. Her voice had been hoarse for days, but getting him to calm down had been all that was on her mind. She'd do it again and again if he needed her too.

His face twitched lightly and brought her back from her trip down memory lane. She looked back at his face and focussed on the long dark lashes that covered the skin just beneath his eyes. Eyes that were currently hidden from her, but that never failed to take her breath away. The gateway to the soul, people would say. She had never known how true that rang until she met Bucky. His eyes always managed to tell her the things his mouth sometimes couldn't. They never lied to her. The blue of his eyes could pull her in from a mile away. The ocean of emotions behind them, easily imprinting on her soul.

She still remembered the first time she had caught the vulnerability behind those orbs. He had not been at the compound long and he had felt so lost after a mission had gone wrong. Normally, he would retreat to his room and Steve, Sam or Natasha would follow him. Whenever he would be ready, they'd come out again. He never really shared that side of himself with the rest. Nobody took offence to that. After all he had been through, they knew it must have been hard to open up to people.

However when his usual trustees had been on another mission, she figured it was up to her to let him know he was no alone. She hadn't meant to pry and told him that he could sent her away if he had wanted, no harm done. He hadn't said a word. Afterwards he told her that he just couldn't bare the thought of being alone. It had been the beginning of everything. Over time his walls had come down and he had opened up to her more and more.

And now, she frequently shared this bed with him. Lucky enough to kiss those plumb red lips, to roam his body, to love him. That last part filled her with the most joy. To love him. The rest wasn't bad either, of course. When he had finally showed her his heart, she had been floored. Despite all he had been through, it was still so good. He was loyal, kind, generous and warm. Hydra never managed to squash that side of him and she was beyond grateful. He was such a beautiful soul. His tragedy had only made him kind.

"Stop staring" his gruff voice startled her. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had failed to notice the shift in his breathing. A tell tale sign that he was waking up. She smirked, eagerly awaiting to see those beautiful eyes. When he finally opened them, her smirk turned into a soft smile. They always had that effect.

A smile played on his lips as well, as he reached his flesh hand up to brush a stray strand of hair from his face, before using that hand to hold her own. His thumb caressed her palm softly, and he sighed, taking the sight of her in.

"Really it's weird" he joked with a straight face, "You're a little weird" he added and she chuckled.

"Oh you love me" she scoffed, the smile on her face only growing wider.

"That I do" He replied with a smile and leaned over to place his lips gently on hers, using his hands to pull her into him. She sighed contently as leaned into him. Right where she wanted to be.


End file.
